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HIgHlIgHTS fROm THe 4TH ANNUAl WIT leAN fORUm - WATeRfORd INSTITUTe Of TeCHNOlOgy

he Annual WIT Lean Forum provides a key opportunity for Irish organisations of all sizes that are adopting, or seeking to adopt, Lean thinking and practice in order to remain competitive in the national and global marketplace.

This industry-academia conference focuses on cutting-edge developments in Lean management thinking and practice, continuous improvement, and organisational and service excellence.

A distinctive feature is the multi-sectoral

audience listening to presentations and stories from various sectors – the Lean community of practice is sector neutral and the cross-pollination is enormously impactful.

Lean Forum Topics included:• PeoplewithinLeanEnterpriseExcellence

• LeanThinkinginConstructionDesign• Lean&BIM• TheBusinessCaseforSustainability• ValueStreamMapping• A3Problem-Solving

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• LeanStart-Up• VisualManagement• Reward&Recognition• TechnologyasanenablerforLean• IdeaGenerationforInnovation• LeanServiceDesignThinking• LeaninSMEs&MicroorganisationsTheKeynotePresentationwasdelivered

byProfessorPeterHines,globalthoughtleaderinLean,seniorcertifiedShingofacilitator, academic, practitioner, consultant,award-winningauthorandVisitingProfessoratWITSchoolofBusiness.ThetitleofProfessorHines’presentation

was:“PeopleWithinLeanEnterpriseExcellence”anditemphasisedtherespectforpeopleprincipleuponwhichLeanisfounded,butwhichisfartoooftenforgotten or ignored, as companies focus on tools only or are too short-termist in their thinking.

The annual WIT Lean Forum allows industry practitioners to network and to exchange knowledge about their experiences, successes, failures, and learnings as well as the opportunity to participate in presentations and breakout sessions delivered by experienced Lean practitioners and subject matter experts. This year’s event drew record numbers including a sizeable delegation from the Construction industry. by DaRRIN TayLOR

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Registration

Professor Peter Hines addressing the main audience in his Keynote Presentation

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LeaN IN CONSTRUCTION IN IReLaNdThe Irish Construction sector is making steady progress in adopting Lean, and it has established its own community of practice (CoP) – “Lean Construction Ireland (LCI)” – to develop awareness around Lean in Construction and to encourage the adoption of Lean Thinking and Practice in public and private capital projects.

Integral to the LCI CoP is inclusivity and free and open access to all interested parties with all stakeholders represented within the community of practice.

As part of the LCI’s work it hosts regular events throughout the year, and it has allied with WIT to include the Annual WIT Lean Forum as one of the LCI’s calendar events.

Kevin White, Co-Founder of the Lean Construction Institute (LCI) in Ireland, attended the Lean Forum and noted that:

“The vision of the LCI CoP is: ‘Ireland as a Centre of Excellence for Lean in Construction where Everyone in the Chain Shares Value’.

“Events such as this Annual WIT Lean Forum provide the LCI CoP and the Irish Construction sector, clients, firms, suppliers, representative bodies, and other stakeholders with a wonderful opportunity to attend Lean Construction presentations and also to attend other presentations on Lean themes common to all and delivered by organisations from various sectors that have been on their respective Lean Journeys for some time.

“Such knowledge exchange and integration can only be good for us all and for Ireland Inc.”

Also in attendance was Sean Downey, Director at the CIF and LCI Core Group member.

Said Sean Downey: “It was a fantastic event which, in its 4th year shows clear evidence of the special engagement that exists between WIT and the regional FDI

group. “During the conference we heard

evidence from clients that set out their expectations on Lean ability in the construction sector which suggests CIF members need to develop their own awareness and skill set in continuous improvement.”

Brian Clare, Lecturer in Building Services Engineering at DIT and LCI Core Group member, noted:

“This was my first attendance at the WIT Lean event and we in the LCI are delighted to be linked with this excellent event.

“While all of the presentations were of a very high standard I found that the NYPRO presentation struck a chord with me as it demonstrated how a construction project team should be set up to ensure a successful outcome”. (See below).

LeaN IN CONSTRUCTION PReSeNTaTIONSIn addition to presentations on generic aspects of Lean that were relevant to all

sectors, there were three specific Lean-in-Construction presentations.

Aidan Clancy, IT Systems Manager at Clancy Construction, presented on “Applying Lean Thinking to Data Management in a Construction Firm”.

This presentation provided audiences with a simple and focused case study on the application of Lean principles and tools in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Clancy’s project data management processes.

Integral to this initiative was the realisation of the need to enable and empower those who actually work at the coalface, known in Lean terminology as the “Gemba”, through the creation of a “Gemba Coalition” sponsored and supported by the senior leadership team.

A key learning was to think systemically and involve all internal customers – “Voice of Customer” – in the process improvement project.

Robin Stubbs, Lecturer in BIM and co-director of the BIM Collective Research Group at WIT, presented on “LEANing into BIM”.

Robin discussed the complementary nature of BIM and Lean, both based on ideologies of collegiality and collaboration.

Robin noted the key role that BIM can play in implementing Lean in Construction as it facilitates the Voice of Customer, it is systemic in nature, it enables design for excellence and it brings projects closer to being right first time (RTF) which is a key aspect of being Lean.

Ken McClannon, Senior Director

The Irish Construction sector is making steady progress in adopting Lean and it has established its own community of practice – “Lean Construction Ireland (LCI)” – to develop awareness around Lean in Construction and to encourage the adoption of Lean Thinking & Practice in public and private capital projects.

SUCh kNOwLedge exChaNge aNd INTegRaTION CaN ONLy be gOOd fOR US aLL aNd fOR IReLaNd INC.

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Aidan Walsh, Co-Director WIT Lean Enterprise Excellence Group, enjoying proceedings

Checking the busy programme schedule

(L-R) Darrin Taylor (WIT); Derek Sinnott (WIT Head of Department of Built Environment); Brian Clare (DIT); Seán Downey (CIF)

(L-R) Darrin Taylor, WIT; Breda O’Toole, IDA Ireland; Richard Keegan, Enterprise Ireland.

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AN OveRvIew Of LeAN IN IReLANd“In response to international competitiveness, recent years have seen an increased focus worldwide on Lean Thinking and Practice by organisations of all sizes and across all sectors,” notes Darrin Taylor, event organiser, and co-director of the WIT Lean Enterprise Excellence Group.

Says Taylor: “Many organisations now consider the effective adoption of Lean as critical to their strategic effectiveness as well as to their operational and enterprise excellence.

“The importance of Lean is further reflected in Irish Government policy and strategy. Lean features prominently in recent and current Action Plans for Jobs – and the Forfás Making it in Ireland: Manufacturing 2020 report and Forfás Future Skills Needs reports emphasise that Lean principles cannot be ignored by any firm in Ireland today.”

What is very interesting and hugely encouraging is that we are seeing Lean being implemented within both public and private organisations, observes Darrin Taylor, “as well as across all sectors: from the pioneering Medical Device, Pharmaceutical and Aerospace sectors into Food & Drink; Traditional Manufacturing; Engineering; Contact Centres; Retail; Healthcare; Hospitality and Construction.

“And now we see Lean increasingly implemented by SMEs and Micro organisations to enable them make step-changes in their development, growth and innovation.

“And of course to enable them better serve their clients as well as the wider value and supply chains they contribute to.

“Integral to this Lean movement is the generosity of spirit amongst and between Irish organisations.

“Such a national community of practice in Lean is enormously beneficial for Ireland Inc.,” says Darrin Taylor. “It also helps position the country globally as a centre of excellence in Lean.”

Ireland has much to be proud of in the Lean space with global exemplars across the country, notes Darrin, including Shingo accredited companies – “the world’s highest standard for operational excellence” – like Lake Region Medical (New Ross); Covidien (Athlone); DepuySynthes (Ringaskiddy); Abbott Ireland Vascular (Clonmel) and Abbott Ireland Diagnostic (Longford).

The State is also playing a key role with Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland providing crucial supports for companies on their Lean journeys via their respective “Lean Business Offers”.

“At WIT,” says Darrin Taylor, “we play our part through our portfolio of cutting-edge executive education programmes in Lean and of course via the Annual WIT Lean Forum which has grown to become the leading Lean conference in Ireland.”

of Programs & Engineering, Pharmaceutical Delivery Systems, at Nypro Healthcare, presented on “Lean Design of a new Healthcare Manufacturing Facility”.

In what was possibly a first in the world in terms of a Lean Construction presentation involving the Client Owner and their entire AEC Design Team, Ken was joined by the following:• StephenCarr,StephenCarr

Architects, Site Master Planning & Assigned Certifier

• FinbarrMarrett,ArdmacLtd.,Mechanical Design, Cleanroom Specialists & Main Contractor for the project

• JohnMernagh,HealyKellyTurnerTownsend, Quantity Surveyors & Project Management

• DermotMcClannon,McClannonElectrical Ltd., Electrical Design & Electrical Contractor for the project

• ArthurMurphy,ArthurMurphy&Co, Structural Engineer

• JimStaples,JimStaplesLtd.,FireandDAC ConsultantIn this presentation Ken spoke

about the application of his and his company’s experience and expertise in Lean Thinking & Practice from their core manufacturing business to the rapid design and build of this new facility.

A highlight and consistent thread

in the actual design and build project, as well as in the presentation and later discussion, was the honouring of the core Lean principle of “respect for every individual”.

PROmINeNT Also prominent was the trust and collaboration that existed between the client and the design team as well as amongst the design team as they worked together in a systemic way to fulfil the client’s requirements.

According to the entire design team the most critical success factor in the ultimate completion of this award-winning and exemplar facility was the client’s absolute clarity, from the start and throughout, in terms of what he wanted and what was required.

Further Information: you can email event organiser and co-director of the WIT Lean Enterprise Excellence Group, Darrin Taylor at dtaylor@wit.ie, or see www.wit.ie/Lean, for details on WIT’s executive education programmes in Lean, Annual Lean Forum, Lean Practitioner Seminar Series, and other activities.

See www.leanconstructionireland.org for further information on Lean Construction Ireland, LCI events, and how to become a member of the LCI community of practice (events and membership are all free of charge).

(L-R) Darrin Taylor, WIT; Breda O’Toole, IDA Ireland; Richard Keegan, Enterprise Ireland.

Above: Robin Stubbs, Lecturer in BIM at WIT, delivering his presentation

Right: Attendee speaking about undergraduate work placement with Elizabeth Shanley, Lecturer in Management

William Power (tli Group) and Deirdre Travers (Lake Region Medical), classmates on the WIT Master of Business in Lean Practice.